With the fate of FRINGE yet to be determined by proverbial the powers that be at Fox, fans across the globe are biting their nails with worry and anticipation. But the anticipation clearly outweighs the worry at this point as with eight episodes left, there is still a lot of story to be told.
As was briefly discussed by Blair Brown during interviews with press last weekend at WonderCon, things are about to get a whole lot more interesting and complicated in the FRINGE-worlds. So much so, that both John and Blair lost track of how many versions of their characters they have now played.
We are not talking about just two universes anymore: our verse and the alt-verse, or even the third verse where Peter was erased and found a way to bleed back into existence. Indeed, John was certain that he has played more than eight versions of Walter Bishop as the fourth season races towards its climatic finale. Eight versions?! That’s right. There is at least one more verse still to be explored and it may have mirrored realities as well. It is mind-bending to conceive of. How does one portray eight different versions of the same character? And if there are eight Walter Bishops, that surely means that there are more versions of Olivia Dunham, Nina Sharp, Lincoln Lee, Broyles, Astrid and all the rest of the Fringe-world characters. It is enough to make any diehard fan giddy with glee.
So where exactly is the FRINGE story going at this point? Is it just about Peter trying to reinsert himself back into the correct timeline? Or is Peter in his correct timeline and The Observers just “erased” him from everyone’s memories and lives? Certainly there is a lot of credence to the idea that Peter is exactly where he belongs, which would explain why The Observer September was able to leave a few traces of Peter behind linking him to his correct timeline and allowing Peter to reappear in physical form, with his own memories intact.
What is David Robert Jones really up to? Is he seeking to destroy one or both universes, or has he figured out the paradox of the multi-verses and is seeking a way to rejoin them all? Why is Nina (aka “Mina”) helping him? Is there a justifiable reason for what they are doing, or are they simply diabolical in wanting to destroy everything?
And why inject Olivia with cortexiphan? Why is David Robert Jones so obsessed with unleashing Olivia’s abilities? And would Nina/Mina agree to help him? Is it to help Olivia remember, or just to implant memories from another version of herself? Or is it needed so that she can slip through the dimensions?
Surely this season will provide answers to all these questions. In fact, as promised by creators and executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman, there are lots of answers coming, starting with this Friday night’s new episode, entitled “A Short Story About Love.” In the next 8 episodes, all these questions will be answered, as well as who shot September and why.
Also something to look forward to is the fact that this season will bookend itself. So if this is the final season of FRINGE, fans will not be left completely hanging and wondering what happened. Instead, the producers and writers have set up a new storyline that will entice fans that will be introduced in the finale. It gives one chills just to contemplate where they may go next. But is also reassuring that the show we all know and love is going to give us some payoff for the existing stories. Nothing is more aggravating than having a show yanked out from under our feet before getting the answers we crave.
Thus, these next 8 episodes of FRINGE are going to be epic, mesmerizing and completely tantalizing. FRINGE has never been a show to aim small; it always wants to go out with a bang. The only thing we know for certain is: you do not want to miss one single second of it. After-all, no matter where the FRINGE journey takes us or when it ends, we know that our hearts will always belong with the gifted ensemble that brought these treasured characters to life. So buckle-up for one hell of a wild ride!
FRINGE returns will its last 8 episodes starting March 23rd at 9PM on Fox. (Also please take note: Part 1 of the 2-part finale airs May 4th and Part 2 airs May 11th.) Catch up on past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv
Tiffany Vogt is the Senior West Coast Editor, contributing as a columnist and entertainment reporter to TheTVaddict.com. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower).